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"...if this machine is capable of actually functioning safely, it disrupts the very specific sub-space frequencies the Wraith use.""So they wouldn't be able to engage their hyperdrive""Well, that's the genius: they would be able to engage their hyperdrives. It's just that their particular channel of subspace would be destabilized and their ship would be ripped into a million pieces."

The device was designed to disrupt the subspace frequencies associated with Wraithhyperdrive systems, causing Wraith ships to be destroyed as they passed through a hyperspace window. Since hyperdrives are unique to the species using them, Lantean vessels would still be able to travel across the galaxy and attack the stranded vessels or just let the Wraith die from starvation in the vacuum of space. Unfortunately, it had the unforeseeable side effect of causing energy to build up behind the event horizon of a Stargate's wormhole, destroying a Stargate whenever it was activated. As a result of this devastating side effect, Janus abandoned the entire project. (SGA: "First Contact")

The Attero device was first activated 10,000 years ago, when its creator Janus first tested it. He deactivated it after three days, due to "devastating and unforeseen side effects", which were later discovered to be causing Stargates to explode with the force of a dozen Nuclear warheads. (SGA: "First Contact")

Meanwhile, Todd took the Daedalus to the planet as well. Along the way it was partially disabled by Ronon Dex and weapons were beyond repair so Todd set a collision course with the facility while he and his Wraith escaped in their scout ship. The Vanir were revealed to be a faction of Asgard who were using the device to get rid of the Wraith so they could leave their uninhabitable planet and move out into the galaxy without being bothered by the Wraith. They didn't use the Stargates so they didn't care about the device's side-effects. The Traveler ship arrived and two of the three Vanir spaceships engaged it to protect the device. In the meantime, McKay and Daniel broke free and managed to disable the device by removing the control crystal from the antenna, though Daniel was badly injured in the attempt. Two of the Vanir ships were destroyed by the Traveler ship and the third escaped into hyperspace. The Daedalus was prevented from crashing into the device due to the traveler ship opening a hyperspace window infront of it and the human crew regained control. McKay and Daniel were beamed aboard the Daedalus and Sheppard on the Traveler's ship destroyed the device by blasting the complex to smithereens with the Traveler ship's weapons. (SGA: "First Contact", "The Lost Tribe")